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H. 0. HORNIS'H.

GAR COUPLING.

Patented Dec. 28, 1886.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

HARRY O. HORNISH, OF PEOR-IA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH T9 A. G. TYNG, JR, AND D. D. HALL, BOTH OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIE-ECATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 355,033, dated December 28, 1886.

Application filed June 19, 1886.

Serial No. 205,634. (No mflllel.)

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HARRY O. HORNISH, of

Peoria, in the county of Peoria, State of Illinois, have invented an Improved Oar-Coupling; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof. This invention is in the line of car-couplings in which the draw-head is formed in three parts, the center of which is similar to the ordinary draw-head, and is adapted for use in connection with the usual link and pin, and the other two parts are provided, respectively, with a spring-actuated hookand an engagingshoulder. I

In the drawings connected with this specification, Figural is a perspective View of my coupling and the end of a car to which it is connected. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the coupling through its center; Figs. 3- and 4, detail views. p

The draw-head A has the central opening, A, for the reception of the ordinary link, should it be desired to employ the same, and in said draw-head is the pin-hole A The draw-head is secured to the ear R between the beams S in the usual way.

From-one side of the'center portion of the draw-head project the ears G, between which is pivoted the hook F. This hook Iusually form from two-inch bar-iron, bending the loop at one end and theinwardturning hook at the other. The pin F, inserted through suitable pin-holes in the ears Grand through said loop, holds said hook in place, the lower end of said pin having a transverse hole therein for the insertion of a key, F, by which said pin is kept from accidental removal;

The spring J, secured to the'side of the beam S and pressing against the shank of the hook F, enables said hook to engage with the shoulder B of another draw-head, and ordinarily holds said shank against the abutment H, formed between the ears G, for the purpose of so receiving said shank and retaining the hook F at the proper point to meet the shoulder B of an approaching draw-head and slide out around the curved face of the same.

The extremity of the spring J is' usually formed with ears J, one above and one below the shank of the hook F, for the purpose of preventing thespringfrom slipping away from engagement with the hook.

At the side of the draw-head away from the ears G are the flanges E, having between them the vertical shoulder B, the face of which is curved, as shown, to cause the hook F, when meeting the same, to slip by and engage therewith. Said shoulder is vertically extended considerably, so that when two draw-heads are coupled together the hook F can slide up and down sufficiently to accommodate the same to the vertical movements of the cars, and also for enabling cars of considerable difference in heights to be united. By means of the flanges E the hook F is prevented from slipping off from the ends of the shoulder. In the edge of the shoulder B is the vertical groove 0, continuous with which are pin-holes through the flanges E. By means of the pin D, inserted in said pin-holes and in said groove, the shonlderBis protected from fracture. The draw-head being formed of cast-iron,the impact therewith of the hook F is extremely liable tochip away and break out the shoulder B; hence the protection given thereto by the pin D is a most important feature of the invention. The groove 0 being made but slight in depth, the pin D stands out therefrom sufficiently to prevent the point of the hook F from touching the shoulder, and so not only saves the cast metal from possible fracture, but

keeps the hook from bending, as it would if its pointabutted against the shoulder. The

object -in having the groove 0 is that the pin D shall be prevented thereby from being bent laterally away from the shoulder, as would be the likelihood were said shoulder simply fiat. By my combination of pin and shoulder the cast-iron is kept from breaking and the wrought-iron from bending.

The hook F being bent through an arc of somewhat more than one hundred and eighty degrees, and said hook clasping the pin D when two couplings are in engagement, said hook is thereby kept from too easily becoming detached from the shoulder of the companion draw-head.

Pivoted to the car near its corners are the levers L L, provided with the straps N, having lugs for locking the levers at desired points. The chain K,joining the lever L to the hook F, and a chain or rod, M, joining the two levers, enable, by the outward pulling of said levers, the said hook to be disengaged from the shoulder of a coupled draw-head, andthe lugs on said straps permit one or both of said levers to be locked, so as to hold the hook F in its disengaged position.

In use the levers L L of each of two approachingcouplings are released and permitted to hang free. Hence, when the draw-heads come near enough together the hooks F meet the sloping faces of the shoulders B, and are outwardly pressed thereby until said hooks can spring in behind the pins D and engage therewith. This makes what I term a double coupling t'hat is, one in which two hooks, F, unite the two draw-heads. If desired, one of the hooks can be fastened back by locking one of itslevers, L, and a single coupling be made. This single coupling is usually preferred when switching. During regular trips the double coupling is generally made.

To uncouple, all that is necessary to be done is to pull either lever until the hook F is detached from the shoulder B. In case the cars are left standing without suflicient slack to permit the point of the hook to clear the pin D, the said pin can be withdrawn therefrom, and the hook then is easily disengaged.

Should the hook F become broken or otherwise useless, it can be removed by the withdrawal of the pin F, and a new one replaced therefor, should-one be convenient of access.

If no other hook can be procured, an ordinary link and pin can be employed for making the coupling, the central aperture, A, serving for the purpose.

In coupling my draw-head with the ordinary form the hook F can bedrawn back out of the levers, and the connections joining said levers and hook, for the purpose set forth.

2. In a car-coupling, the draw-head A, having the grooved shoulder B, the protectingpin in said shoulder, and the engaging-hook, as and for the purpose specified.

3. The three-part draw-head having the central aperture. A, the ears G, shoulder B, and the flanges E, with the pin-holes therein, in combination with the pin D. held at the edge of said shoulder, the hook F, pivoted between said ears, and the spring J as and for the purpose described.

4. The three-part draw-head having the ears G, the abutment H, the flanges E, the

grooved shoulder B, and the pin-holes in said flanges, in combination with the pin D in said groove and pin-holes, the hook F, pivoted between said ears, the spring J for said hook, the levers L L, and connections joining said hook and levers,as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing invention I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 17th day of June, in the year 1886.

HARRY G. HORNISH. [L. 3.]

Witnesses:

A. B. UPHAM, A. KEITHLEY. 

